I thought that Bernie Dyme had a great post yesterday on the Working World Cafe blog for his workplace services provider, Perspectives Ltd. In it he breaks down the real costs of so-called "free" or "embedded" employee assistance programs (EAPs) – the kinds of programs for "companies that just want to say they have one," according to Dyme.
Here are some of the main costs he lists:
- Missed cases of domestic violence. He cites American Institute on Domestic Violence data which finds that health-related costs and company productivity and earnings losses add up to over $7.5 billion per year.
- Lost days at work and productivity with undiagnosed substance abuse – 500 million days per year just from alcoholism, according to the DOL.
- "Incidents of workplace violence and bullying cost $121 billion a year in nonfatal workplace assaults, resulting in 876,000 lost workdays and $16 million in lost wages, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)."
Dyme concludes his post by arguing that what businesses get by investing in more robust EAPs is not only better-quality services for employees when they need them, but a culture of increased workplace team building and employee engagement that results in longer employee tenures and greater productivity. Sounds like a good investment to me.
Related:
- Dyme's post from today talking about likely human service cuts in Illinois and how to voice your opinion to stave them off.
- Our research summary on a 2007 report on an EAP's role and perspective.
Powered by Compendium Blogware
Comments for EAPs: You Get What You Pay For